


Cold Beds and Warm Windows

by SuperfriendlyFox



Series: Lena is Extra [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Humor, Identity Reveal, Implied Sexual Content, Lena Luthor Doesn't Know Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Finds Out Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Licking, Pre-Relationship, Sexual Humor, Sharing a Bed, SuperCorp, friends to lovers in just one night, if you're squeamish at all about characters needing to pee maybe you shouldn't read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-08 17:01:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12869037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperfriendlyFox/pseuds/SuperfriendlyFox
Summary: Of all the places Lena could have gotten herself trapped overnight with Kara, it just had to be the place with a hundred beds.





	Cold Beds and Warm Windows

“Puppies and kitties!” said Kara.

“Ahhh!” said Lena.

“Ahhh!” agreed Kara. “Wanna go with me?”

“Of course,” said Lena, thinking she would tag along anywhere with Kara, regardless of the presence of baby animals, or monster animals, or baby monsters, even.

Which was how Lena found herself driving Kara to Holiday Windows, the annual event run by Macy’s and the SPCA of National City.

They took their sweet time strolling from the parking garage, Christmas music emanating from the shops. Lena watched all the couples walking hand-in-hand among them, wishing she could reach out and take Kara’s, because Kara had taken her heart.

They stopped to buy hot chocolate from a street vendor. Kara got loads of marshmallows, Lena insisted on paying, and it was lovely, like a date, Lena thought.

Until she once more saw the couples walking hand-in-hand among them, and felt a pang in her heart.

***

They waited at the edges of the crowd fawning over the animals. Kittens and puppies, napping, yapping, and waddling about in the holiday and winter-themed window displays. Honestly, Lena thought, it was as if some evil sorcerer had hypnotized half of National City to be in thrall to tiny, four-legged harbingers of slobbered-on shoes and crapped-upon carpets.

The wait to migrate to the front of the crowd was long, but to Lena time flew. Waiting in line to enter Hell itself would be enjoyable with Kara. (Maybe once they got in there Kara could restrain Lillian while Lena gave her a good, swift kick in the butt.)

As they drifted to the front, like sediment, Lena and Kara debated the relative merits of truth vs. little white lies, little of course being a subjective term. Kara had received her annual ugly Christmas sweater from her great-aunt Agatha in the mail that afternoon, and was planning to send a sweet thank-you note like she did every year. Each year it resulted, of course, in receiving a brand new ugly Christmas sweater, and Kara was running out of closet space.

Lena was trying to help her friend draft a letter more in keeping with her desired result.

“Dear Aunt Agatha,” Lena dictated. “Thank you for always sending me such lovely Christmas sweaters. I must however request that you cease and desist, effective immediately, as I have run out of closet space. Yours, et cetera.”

“I can’t, Lena.” Kara grinned. “She’s family.”

“I have grown a third arm.”

“Noooo.” Kara giggled.

“My apartment is infested with moths, which have obliterated my sweater collection.”

“She’ll just send me a fresh dozen in one shot.” Suddenly Kara’s smile disappeared, replaced by a worried frown. “Say, Lena... you _do_ believe it’s okay to lie to a relative... or a _good friend,_ even, if you have a good reason? Or, what you _think_ at the time is a good reason, even if later you realize it was a _stupid_ reason?”

Lena blew out a puff of air. “What does Alex do with _her_ ugly sweaters?”

“Oh. Straight to the Goodwill.” Kara laughed, her lying worries temporarily forgotten. “She says her money’s on Aunt Agatha never making it beyond the duty-free alcohol shops at the airport.”

“A woman after my own heart,” joked Lena. Perhaps. Perhaps she was joking.

They made it to the front of the crowd.

Kara squealed and took out her phone to take pictures of the animals, and selfies of them in front of the animals. And videos, oh so many videos. Lena was tempted to pull her own phone out of her purse and take some pictures and videos, but she was afraid she’d be glaringly obvious with her camera trained on Kara, _only_ Kara-- totally ignoring all the animals. It would no doubt finally alert her oblivious straight friend to Lena’s sad, sorry crush on her.

Lena kept hanging around this woman she was hopelessly in love with, this woman who could never love her back. Not like she wanted her to.

Because Lena couldn’t let herself be happy.

An SPCA volunteer saw them standing together, so, so close together. She watched Lena lean her head on Kara’s shoulder, and Kara snake her arm around Lena’s waist.

The volunteer leapt to the most logical conclusion.

“You’ll make great pet parents.” She grinned as Lena and Kara turned to her with surprise.

“Oh-- we’re--” Lena was glad her cheeks were already red with cold so Kara wouldn’t notice her blush. “We’re not together.” She gazed at Kara. _I would ask Santa for that, if I was young enough to believe in him. Or delusional enough to think that Kara could ever feel that way about me._

Kara’s cheeks were rosy as well as she hugged Lena closer and smiled at the volunteer, who exclaimed, “You could’ve fooled me!” And proceeded to aggressively plug those pets. “Even better-- you can _each_ adopt a pet. Do you prefer puppies or kittens?”

“My schedule’s really crazy,” said Kara. “So I was thinking a cat? Although I _love_ dogs. I wish I could have a dog. Maybe someday... when I’m married, I’ll have a dog... with my... spouse...” Kara unconsciously cast a look her friend’s way, and squeezed her tighter.

The volunteer turned to Lena.

“I’m-- I’m honestly just here as a friend.” Lena sighed. _I’ll only ever be a friend._

Maybe it was Lena’s overactive imagination, or the shot of whiskey she’d poured into her hot chocolate while Kara had been distracted by someone walking their Labrador, but the volunteer seemed to wink at her? As if to say, _friend my ass._ But before Lena could protest, the volunteer turned back to Kara.

“Would you like to try our new Cuddle Experience on the sixth floor? Normally we charge a small fee for ten minutes, but since you’re serious about adopting...”

Kara’s eyes lit up like the massive Christmas tree in the square. “Oh! Sure! I mean, can we, Lena?”

“Yes yes! Of course! Anything you want, Kara.” Lena ducked her head, feeling foolish, sure the volunteer had by now pegged her as the whipped non-girlfriend, who would never, ever be the girlfriend.

But the volunteer merely smiled as Kara pointed out the two kittens she’d especially had her eye on since they got here.

***

“They’re a bonded pair, so they have to be taken together,” said the volunteer as Kara snuggled and giggled, getting the full cuddle experience. Lena wondered if the volunteer was lying, and just trying to grease the wheels for a two-in-one adoption on this easy mark with the silly grin and the happy squeal.

But Kara did look hopelessly adorable playing with the kittens, one of which now slipped out of her hands and rooted around her butt while Kara was busy with the other.

Neither Kara nor Lena, nor the volunteer, nor the harried floor supervisor who was short staffed tonight-- and probably not either the multi-tasking loss-prevention officer manning the multiple security monitors, hidden in the back somewhere-- noticed the kitten snag Kara’s phone out of her back pocket.

The furry thief carried Kara’s phone to the far corner of the carpeted area, and stashed it behind a cushion along with the rest of the day’s haul-- a bubble gum wrapper, a scrunchie, and a Topps baseball card.

“If you’ve changed your mind about adopting as well--” the volunteer turned to Lena “--it might be a good idea to adopt pets that get along together... _Because_ you two _will definitely be getting together,”_ she added in a whisper no one on this planet should’ve been able to hear.

Kara’s head snapped up to stare at her.

“I haven’t. Changed my mind.” Lena smirked. “But I _am_ considering recruiting you for my company’s sales division.”

The volunteer gave her a sly smile and turned back to her sure thing. “I’ve got the adoption paperwork right here for you to fill out, and you can pick up your new kittens from the shelter tomorrow afternoon at your convenience. Pending approval, of course.”

Kara looked up at Lena with such joy that Lena realized she would gladly adopt _all_ the pets in the Holiday Windows, if only she could have Kara all to herself, even if just for one night.

***

As Kara crouched, petting the two kittens now safely ensconced in a pet carrier, which was open at the top-- the volunteer had said the store was closing soon, and the animals would be taken back to the shelter for the night-- she watched the woman chatting with Lena, and thought back to what she’d heard her say earlier under her breath.

About her and Lena.

_“You two will definitely be getting together.”_

Rao. Had she meant-- _of course_ that’s what she’d meant. What else could she have meant?

Kara gazed up at Lena and almost lost her balance, _Rao_ was Lena pretty. No, not pretty. Beautiful, mesmerizing. Enchanting. The way she giggled, and handed the volunteer her business card, all charm and confidence and sexy swagger.

 _Sexy?_ Had she just thought that out loud? Rao.

She’d had those thoughts before, and those feelings, if she were being totally honest here. Watching Lena pull her sweatshirt off at movie night did things to her. That tight fitting tank top, those lovely arms that looked so nice, and felt so nice when they hugged, and _Rao_ did she need to stop thinking about that.

Kara looked down at the pet carrier, trying to control her breathing, which had suddenly kicked up a notch. Was she... was she like Alex? Did she like girls? She supposed it was possible, Krypton hadn’t cared about all that, but she had never really thought about it before. Sure she'd felt a little confused. But she’d never had such a close friendship with a woman and she'd assumed all the snuggling and the long hugs and the lip biting was normal. It was normal to feel so intensely about a woman you loved--

 _A friend_ you loved. _Like a friend._

Kara stood up now as the volunteer came over to shake her hand and close the pet carrier, the kittens mewling in protest.

She said goodbye, and the little wink the ~~matchmaker~~ volunteer gave her, along with a sly sideways glance at Lena, was not helping her breathing any, nor her heart rate, which had escalated in the space of a few seconds.

\--

“Kara? _Kara._ Are you okay?” Lena placed her hands soothingly on Kara’s arms, rubbing them a little, worried at the weird behavior of her friend, and only half clocking the announcement that blared over the loudspeaker, that the store would be closing soon, and for customers to please bring their final purchases to the counter, and to _get the fuck out._ That last part was implied.

Kara shook her head. “No. I’m not, I’m-- I don’t know what I am, Lena.”

Lena reached down and took her hand. “Should I call an--”

“No--” Kara slapped her free hand over her chest, and then removed her other hand from Lena’s, and nervously did up the top button of her blouse. “Lena-- it’s just, it’s just a bit much, all this--”

Lena nodded-- “Adoption is a big step” --and quickly led Kara into the ladies’ room.

\--

Lena helped her splash cold water on her face, but that didn’t help-- and neither did Lena’s long, lovely fingers, which so softly caressed her cheeks. Kara pulled away--

And ran into a stall--

And locked the door--

Needing to be alone--

Needing to calm down--

Needing to not _feel so much_ all at once.

She crouched down, her breathing and heart rate doing a strange, suggestive dance, one that she hadn’t learned, and certainly hadn’t practiced. It had been years since this had happened, and she’d forgotten how to make it stop.

“Kara? _Kara._ Please, tell me what’s wrong--”

 _“Lena,”_ Kara let out, needing her, and wanting her, but too afraid to have her. “Please-- please come in,” she whimpered. _“I really do need you.”_

\--

Lena didn’t need to be told twice. She hauled herself up and over the stall door, glad to be wearing pants. She carefully dropped down onto the floor in her heels, knelt down, and wrapped her arms around her friend.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, Kara. I’m here. I’ve got you. You’re all right.” She rubbed Kara’s arms, and listened as her breathing crept its way back to normal.

\--

Kara’s eyes widened at the sound of footsteps and she shot up, her heart rate spiking once again.

She grabbed Lena’s hand--

And jumped onto the toilet seat--

Pulling Lena up behind her--

_Rao._

Was she so ashamed she couldn’t be seen in a stall with another woman? No, that wasn’t it, it was--

It was Lena. Lena was a public figure, and Kara didn’t want her to be exposed like that.

But she _did_ feel a little vulnerable about it, if she were being honest.

The door banged open and Kara held her breath. Lena instinctively followed suit, and a few moments later they heard the door slam shut again, as well as the sound of voices through a walkie-talkie, growing ever more distant.

\--

Kara and Lena looked into each other’s eyes, and Lena could swear she saw something there. Something, perhaps, that she’d never seen before.

She had the impulse to lean forward and kiss Kara. Softly. Sweetly.

But she would never do that.

Not because she couldn’t let herself be happy. But because this wasn’t about her. This was about her friend, who had just had a panic attack, and needed her to be a good friend.

Lena helped Kara off the toilet seat, and they stood there in the stall, waiting for Kara’s breathing to even out.

***

They stood in the dark of the store, staring at the locked exit.

“Can’t we push on the fire door?” said Kara. “Even if it’s locked, it’ll trigger the alarm and they’ll have to come investigate.”

Lena flinched. “I’m not comfortable with that, Kara. I can see the tabloids now-- _Luthor Heiress Selfishly Inconveniences Store Staff.”_

Kara giggled and reached out to rub Lena’s arm. “Sorry. I forgot about that. “We can call the police, the non-emergency number. I don’t think Maggie’s on duty, but someone will come and get us.”

“They’ll file a report, Kara, and the media will surely pick it up.”

“Oh. How about we call Alex? She can free us without anyone finding out.” Kara reached for her phone in her back pocket, only to come away empty-handed. “Lena. My phone’s gone.”

“Do you think you dropped it somewhere?” They investigated, and although they checked the Cuddle Experience area, they didn’t think to look underneath that far cushion. They had no idea Kara had agreed to adopt a kleptomaniac.

“Maybe I dropped it on the sidewalk.” Kara frowned. “Can you call from yours?”

“Oh. Of course.” Lena pawed through her purse, debating the relative merits of truthfulness vs. getting to spend the night with Kara Danvers. “Wouldn’t you know it? I must’ve left it at the office.”

“Shoot. I guess we’re stuck here, then?”

“I guess we are.” Lena fought to keep the smile off her face.

But it naturally disappeared with the stress of her next thought. _By the end of the night, I’m going to be truthful with Kara. I’m going to tell her that I love her._

***

It was way too early for bed.

Lena normally at this time of night would still be working on reports at L-Corp, fielding texts from Jess to _go home already_. She would text back, _I am home,_ and doggedly stay, determined to get a head start on the next day’s travails. Only to receive a new text from Jess-- _you’re a fucking liar_. Jess lost her inhibitions outside of normal working hours. Or maybe she’d been drinking.

Often she’d receive a text from Kara, tempting her to come over. Which she did. Because while she might be a workaholic, and a useless gay, she was not a _stupid_ gay. There was a big difference.

Kara always offered to let Lena make the Netflix pick, but Lena never cared much what they watched, as she hardly paid attention to the screen anyway. There were just so many more fascinating things to look at out of the corner of her eye, right there next to her on the couch, such as gorgeous eyes, strong biceps, and a flash of abs whenever Kara took off her sweater.

So they had a couple hours to burn.

They skipped from department to department, trying on handbags, and sunglasses-- ”You look good in _any_ style, Lena” --and clothes, oh so many clothes. They grabbed armfuls, gleefully disregarding the item limits, and gave each other a show. Kara tried on all the belts, and Lena had to suppress some of her more kinky fantasies. And when Kara tried on the vests in the men’s department, it was all Lena could do not to pass out.

They strolled by the lingerie section, and Kara stumbled over her own feet. They each took wistful looks over, both of them blushing, both of them turning their heads away from the other.

***

“Let’s go down to the Holiday Windows!” Kara suggested.

“They take the animals back to the shelter before the store closes, Kara.”

“Come on, Lena! Don't be such a practical pooper!”

“I am not a pooper _anything,”_ Lena grumbled, hurrying to catch up to Kara, who was already at the escalator.

They slid down the escalator rails. After the third one Kara waited at the bottom and didn’t move out of the way, and Lena squealed and crashed into her. They fell together onto the floor, giggling, and were slow to get up, and might have touched each other a little more than necessary, if one were being honest.

Without any lights on in the store, they were able to look out the windows onto the mostly deserted sidewalks. Lena noted that there were still a few couples walking hand-in-hand here and there, and this time she didn’t feel so sad. She felt emboldened after what had happened in the stall, excited even, excited at the remote possibility that Kara might actually say she liked Lena back, if only a little bit.

To get into the Holiday Windows they had to jimmy the lock-- Kara pulling a pin out of her loose bun, Lena pulling from her recollections of boarding school-era Veronica Sinclair. They stepped into the display which had housed Kara’s new kittens, the cat beds sitting empty in the Santa and reindeer scene.

“Let’s pretend we’re kittens, Lena!”

“Excuse me?” said Lena, dumbfounded.

“Come on!” Kara pulled Lena down into a crouch next to her. “Don’t--”

“I know.” Lena laughed. “Don’t be a practical pooper. So how _does_ one pretend one is a kitten?”

“Well,” said Kara, looking longingly, if a bit shyly, into Lena’s eyes. “Remember when we were watching them from outside the window, the bigger one was grooming the smaller?”

“Yes,” Lena breathed, hardly daring to hope. She closed her eyes, and after a moment, felt Kara lick her cheek.

Lena opened her eyes, her breathing quickened, and she couldn’t help but meow, like a human kitten. She really should have peed sometime in the last hour. The pressure of holding it in and Kara licking her skin were a deadly combination. And she was dead, yes, dead and gone to Heaven.

Either Kara really did like her, or she was truly oblivious to Lena’s feelings. Or she was teasing, and Kara was too nice a person for that.

Lena decided to take a chance, and “groom” Kara back. She leaned over and licked Kara’s neck.

Kara squealed and wriggled away.

Lena grinned wickedly. “Are you _ticklish,_ Kara Danvers?”

“No! Not _at all.”_ Kara giggled.

Lena moved toward her on all fours. “Well, if you’re not _at all_ ticklish, you won’t mind if I do _this_ \--” She sprang, like a kitten, or a baby panther, really, and reached under her friend’s blouse. She wiggled her fingers on Kara’s tummy, and the screech of a wild boar sounded in her ears. Forget about kittens.

If any stray passers-by had glanced into the display right then, they might have guessed that two window dressers had gotten into a disagreement over aesthetics, and had decided to settle it with a tickle fight.

Kara and Lena lay panting on the display floor for a while.

“You look spent,” Lena whispered.

“You wore me out,” Kara admitted.

They smiled at each other, then hemmed and hawed awhile, then Kara helped Lena back down off the ledge, and gently squeezed her hand.

***

Finally they went to the restroom, before Lena exploded.

***

They couldn’t delay the inevitable any longer, and stared out at the sea of beds.

“There are so many,” said Kara, unhappily.

“Yes,” said Lena, her heart sinking. “All that leg room.” She had definitely not thought this through.

They finally decided on two queen-sized beds a couple feet apart. Lena picked out sheets and pillowcases she would normally sneeze at, because Kara’s face had lit up at the pretty patterns. 

“It’s fine, Kara. I’ll buy them in the morning. Trust me, they’ll be grateful we didn’t sleep directly on the show sheets.” Lena hoped Kara wouldn’t insist on buying hers, because Lena was planning to keep Kara’s as well, so she could smell Kara whenever she wanted.

They made the beds, then hesitated. Shoes and socks were shucked. Lena blushed, and took off her pants.

“I just can’t sleep in anything more than underwear, Kara.”

Kara nodded-- “No, of course” --and respectfully looked away, but only after a long moment.

Lena slipped under her sheets and stared at the ceiling while Kara started to get under her own.

“Don’t you want to take _your_ pants off, too? I promise I won’t peek,” Lena joked. Perhaps. Perhaps she was joking.

Kara looked down at her crotch, and hesitated. Then she pulled the comforter over her, fully clothed.

They laid there in the dark.

Then Lena heard the unmistakable sound of a belt being loosened, and looked over as Kara draped it over the headboard.

Shivers ran up Lena’s spine as she gazed back up at the ceiling.

***

Well, this was a bummer.

 _It’s not my fault,_ Lena argued with the voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like her mother. Lena had never set foot in a furniture store before. Except that one time.

She had grown up watching Lillian confer with the most expensive interior decorators, having the perfect bedroom, living room, or home office magically materialize in front of her. As an adult Lena had followed suit, availing herself of the taste and talents of her own trusted interior decorator, who went by the name of Jess.

The only time she’d ever been in a furniture store was when she had tagged along with Kara to buy a new coffee table at IKEA, the day after strange indentations had mysteriously appeared in Kara’s old coffee table, after the night they’d watched _Flashdance_ and Lena had been inspired to hop up and gyrate along with Jennifer Beals.

They had wandered in and out of the sample rooms at IKEA, and Lena had naturally assumed all furniture stores consisted of individual rooms with single beds for trying out a mattress together.

“Jess is probably freaking out over where I am.” Lena chuckled. “I suspect she has a secret arrangement with my doormen. They probably text her when I’ve arrived home.” She looked over at Kara. “Maybe she’ll think I’ve gone over to yours.”

“Oh, Jess knows you’re with me.” Kara blushed. “I text her, too.”

Lena felt a flush in her chest at all this care and attention. Jess watching over her like a mother hen, being in cahoots with Kara, with her doormen... Lena was always thinking up new business ventures, and had been considering getting into the entertainment industry. A TV show, _Everybody Loves Jess_... yes. She filed that idea away for later.

Now she looked over at her best friend. “My mom--” she said softly “--my _real_ mom, I mean. I don’t remember much about her, but she gave me this teddy bear right before she died. All I had left from her was that teddy bear. I cuddled with that bear every night till I was-- well, let’s just say I would’ve been embarrassed to bring a girl home and have her see my teddy bear.” Lena blushed. “It’s hard for me to sleep in strange places. I wish I had... _something_... to cuddle with.” She chanced a glance at Kara, and saw her friend’s face break into a wide grin.

Kara got out of the bed, and Lena shuddered. This was it. It was really happening. All those nights they’d fallen asleep together on Kara’s couch hadn’t prepared her for the possibility of actually being conscious for this.

“Well I wouldn’t want you to have a bad night’s sleep, Lena. I can help you with that.”

 _“God,_ yes,” Lena breathed, in a murmur too low for Kara to hear, or so she thought.

Kara looked confused for a moment, then determination set in. “Don’t move,” she ordered. “I’ll be back in a Jiffy peanut butter sandwich.”

...

Lena waited in the bed, peeking underneath her blouse to remind herself which bra she’d picked out this morning, wishing she’d had the foresight to wear that lovely little lace number she’d bought for a special occasion.

That’s probably what Kara was doing now, thought Lena, rifling through the lingerie section, searching for the perfect panty and brassiere set. Probably embarrassed to let Lena see whatever bunny or ducky-themed ensemble she was currently wearing. _You big dummy,_ Lena scolded herself. _Just because Kara’s willing to cuddle with you doesn’t mean she wants to get it on._

Still, Lena was nervous, Barry White tunes running through her head. She opened her purse and took out her whiskey flask, and took a loooong swig. She barely had time to tuck it back in before Kara bounded back in front of her, a huge grin on her face and a huge... teddy bear in her arms. _Oh._

Kara shoved the stuffed bear at Lena. “Sorry that took so long. I couldn’t decide between the bear and a really realistic-looking giraffe.”

Lena took the bear and smiled, touched by Kara’s thoughtfulness, and devastated by the PG-rated turn this night had taken.

\--

Kara settled back under her sheets, her super hearing picking up on Lena’s soft sighs. For some reason she didn’t sound terribly happy. _Shoot,_ Kara thought. _I should’ve gotten the giraffe._

She looked over at her friend, and caught her staring at Kara, a wistful look on her face, before blushing and turning her face away again.

Kara turned away as well. Oh Rao. Had she misinterpreted what Lena had meant about cuddling? Maybe she ought to have offered Lena her body instead, as a sort of human throw pillow. Like how some people needed a pillow between their knees to sleep. _I could be between Lena’s knees,_ thought Kara, suddenly jealous of the teddy bear.

\--

Lena clutched the bear to her, tears starting to fall. Maybe Kara _had_ been teasing her down in the Holiday Window. But no. Kara was too nice a person for that. Maybe she really had been pretending to be a kitten.

“Lena,” Kara whispered. “I... I get nightmares a lot.”

Lena held her breath a moment. “Do you?”

“Yes,” said Kara. “To tell you the truth, I could use... something... to cuddle with, too.”

“Oh.” Lena hesitated. “Do you want your bear back?”

“Screw the bear.” Kara got up out of bed, Barry White cheered, and she slipped under the covers with Lena. “Is... is it okay if we cuddle _together?”_

 _“Yes.”_ Lena sighed, and pushed the bear off the bed.

***

They lay together on the bed, Lena the little spoon who was breathing fast, and Kara the big spoon, breathing even faster.

It wasn’t conducive to sleeping, this breathing thing.

“Alex would often get in bed and cuddle with me,” confided Kara. “It helped me a lot. To cope with the pain of losing my pla-- _parents_. Yeah.”

“I never had anyone to cuddle with,” whispered Lena. “I mean... I have some vague memories of my mom, and Lex would check up on me when I had a bad dream. But I... I never really felt close enough to anyone to sleep in the same bed with them. I mean, to _sleep_ with them, yeah. But not to cuddle with after.”

“Well, now you have me,” said Kara, then sucked in a sharp breath, realizing what she’d said.

Lena sucked in too, and decided to go for it, because Barry White told her to.

She turned around in Kara’s arms, and gazed into her eyes. Kara blushed, but didn’t look away, and Lena reached out and tucked a strand of golden hair behind Kara’s ear.

“I have you, to... _cuddle_ with?” asked Lena, ready to blame it all on Barry White if this thing went south.

“Yeah,” breathed Kara, “I like cuddling with you.”

“Is that... is that _all_ you want to do?” Lena moved her hands up Kara’s arms, caressing her. “Cuddle?”

“Nooooooo...” Kara squeaked, “that’s not all what I want, not all.”

They stared at each other, and Kara gulped, but then took a breath, and leaned closer to Lena.

Their lips softly touched, and Lena moved to unbutton Kara’s shirt, and--

 _“Lena.”_ Kara shifted away, her eyes wide.

Lena immediately withdrew her hand, and slid a few inches farther down the bed. “I’m so sorry...” she whispered. “I thought--”

“No--” Kara reached out to touch Lena’s arm. “I mean, yes. You thought right, Lena. I... I really, _really_ like you.” She bit her bottom lip. “I _want_ you, Lena.”

Lena looked bewildered. “Then why... Is it too fast? Do you want to wait, to go on a proper date?”

“I mean... I _do_ want to go on a proper date with you.” Kara looked down at her sheets, and traced the pretty pattern. “But I... Lena, I have to tell you something. Something I should have told you long ago.”

“You can tell me anything, Kara. You know that.” Lena’s eyes grew soft. “You’re trembling.” Lena slid closer to her, and put her arms around her to try and soothe her friend. “Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad. Just tell me. Please, Kara.”

Kara nodded, and took a few breaths, but couldn’t get out the words. She slipped out of Lena’s arms, and pulled back slightly. “I... I...”

She sighed, then slowly undid the top few buttons of her blouse.

Confusion and excitement battled it out on Lena’s face, until she paled, as Kara unveiled the first hint of red and gold on that bright blue top.

Lena stopped breathing for a moment. “I see.”

Kara stopped undoing her buttons, and reached out for her. “Lena, please understand--”

“I understand perfectly,” Lena huffed, not understanding at all.

“I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone,” Kara said with a whimper, dropping her hand at the look on Lena’s face. “I was used to that. I accepted it as necessary. And by the time I realized I _really_ wanted to tell you, I... I also felt... _confused_. About you. About my feelings for you. And it was easier to not tell you anything.”

Lena started to practice slow, deep breathing, but it wasn’t helping.

“Lena...” Kara hesitantly reached out her hand again, trying to touch, trying to heal--

Lena jumped up and tore the sheets off the bed, not caring that she was in her underwear. Barely caring that Kara had to choose to stand up and allow the sheets to slide out from under her. “If you don’t mind, Kara, these are the sheets I chose for _me_. For _my_ bed.” She grabbed her pillow and her purse, and her pants as well.

Lena frumped off with her sheets, and her pillow and purse and pants, and stalked off to the far end of the showroom... but still where Kara could see her. She knew Kara was watching her, with huge, sad eyes, and made a big show of choosing the bed farthest away from her, and of making the bed in a fury.

She flopped down onto the now made-up bed, still able to feel Kara watching her, and forced herself not to look back. She realized she could just pull her phone from her purse and place a call to secure her freedom, her freedom from this stupid bed with the stupid non-Italian-made, non-Egyptian cotton sheets that didn’t cost upwards of fifteen hundred dollars, her freedom from this stupid store she would never normally stoop so low as to purchase so much as a scrunchie from.

Her freedom from Kara.

If she pulled out her phone and left Kara now, she could hurt her even more than if she stayed and didn’t speak to her the rest of the night.

If she pulled out her phone she would reveal herself to be a big fat liar, and a hypocrite to boot.

What exactly was she so mad about?

She had lied to Kara because she wanted something from her, and had been too afraid to ask. Kara had lied to her because... because... _Don’t say because I’m a Luthor, you big dumb idiot._

Lena sat up on the bed, and struggled with her pride and hurt.

She dared to look across the showroom, and saw Kara watching her, crying.

 _I’m a huge heel,_ she thought. _A heel that stepped into a huge pile of dog doo and dragged it across the showroom floor... Because I_ am _a pooper, after all._

Lena got up. She pulled the sheets off again, and slunk back to Kara, dragging the dumb pillow and her expensive purse and her stupid pants behind her.

The walk across the showroom felt like it took forever.

Once there she waited.

Kara didn’t say anything.

Lena motioned toward the mattress.

Kara hesitated, then got up and watched, wiping her eyes, as Lena slowly and calmly re-made the bed. With the non-Italian-made, non-Egyptian cotton sheets that were on sale for eighty-nine dollars. The sheets that she was keeping, because they smelled of Kara.

She sat down now, not looking at her friend, and waited till Kara hesitantly sat down next to her. Well, not next to her, exactly. Near her, with plenty of room separating them, in case Lena was still mad.

“I know I’m being unreasonable,” said Lena. “Well,” she amended, “I know I’m being a big brat.” She waited, until she heard a small laugh escape Kara’s lips. “But it hurts me that you lied to me, Kara.”

Kara’s slight smile once more faded. “I know,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry, Lena.”

Lena took a deep breath. “I... I have something to confess too, actually.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. I lied too. About not having my phone.”

Kara looked at her with surprise.

Lena’s face turned even redder than her current shade of lipstick, which was the reddest red that had ever been redded. Lena had checked. Well. Had had two of her assistants check. Hector was _way_ too into cosmetics. “I just wanted to spend the night with you, Kara.”

Kara’s eyes grew even wider. “Really? You did?”

“Yeah. I did.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Kara finally broke it. “Why didn’t you just tell me, Lena?”

Lena shrugged. “I don’t know. I was scared, I guess.”

Kara placed her hand on Lena’s thigh and rubbed a little. “Do you want to call Alex?”

Lena looked down at her watch. “It’s three in the morning, Kara. Do you really want to face The Wrath of Alex at three in the morning?”

Kara giggled. “I guess not.”

“Yeah.” Lena smiled. “I thought not.”

Kara traced light patterns on Lena’s thigh, then circled her knee, like she was trying to figure out how to land this thing. “So... what do you want to do now?”

Lena didn’t answer.

She just slipped under the sheets, those stupid sheets she was never ever going to wash, and never going to use, and going to seal in an air lock plastic baggie and place in a shrine in her closet. To hold and to cherish, and from which to take occasional long whiffs.

She kept the sheets open for Kara.

Kara slid in next to her. “Are you sure, Lena? Is this... is this okay?” She drew in a sharp breath as Lena placed her hands over Kara’s hips, and pulled her close to her.

“We need to talk.” Lena ran her hands up Kara’s sides.

“Yes.” Kara’s breath hitched.

“About a lot.” Lena slowly, softly, respectfully cradled Kara’s breasts, over her blouse, her house crest still peeking through.

“A whole lot,” Kara breathed.

“But not now.” Lena nibbled on Kara’s ear.

“No.” Kara softly shook her head, careful not to crash into Lena.

They pulled back a bit, just enough to smile at each other.

Lena reached up and softly ran her fingers down Kara’s cheeks, over the tracks left by her tears. Then she leaned forward, and kissed there.

“I’m sorry I was a jerk just now.”

“You weren’t, Lena.”

“I was.”

“No...” Kara leaned forward, and kissed Lena back, and they were happy, in that moment.

Tomorrow-- well, technically, _today_ \-- there would be kittens to adopt, maybe a new sales manager to hire, and they still had to figure out the perfect wording for that ugly Christmas sweater letter.

And perhaps she and Kara should start discussing practical matters. Kara was Supergirl. Lena was a Luthor. With an evil brother and mother who wanted Kara dead, and wow was that going to cause problems.

But Lena was not a practical pooper.

And she could let herself be happy.

**Author's Note:**

> I took the SPCA’s partnership with Macy’s Holiday Windows from the actual month-and-a-half long annual event in San Francisco.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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